Inking attachment for typewriting machines



Aug. 16, 1960 M. E. EBERT ETAL 2,949,176

INKING ATTACHMENTFOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES Filed Oct. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS MaxEEberr BY Clarence F. Selzer ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1960 M. E. EBERT ETAL 2,949,176

INKING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES Filed Oct. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

@ 30A 19 0A INVENTORS MaxEEberr BY Clarence F. salzee" 4Z1; 5&4?

ATTORNEY INKING ATTACI-llVIENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES Max E. Ebert, Ridgefield, and Clarence F. Selzer, Fort Lee, NJ., assignors to Inventors Clinic, Fort Lee, NJ., a partnership Filed Oct. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 764,976

17 Claims. (Cl. 197-150) This invention relates to an attachment for typewriting machines, for inking the type faces thereof; and more specifically, concerns means for inking the type faces of the type bars immediately before they reach their typing position.

The conventional inking ribbon on typewriting machines has a number of known disadvantages, including stoppage of machine operation at frequent intervals for ribbon replacement; inconvenience and high cost of ribbon changes; the complicated ribbon transport mechanism and the servicing problems arising therefrom; machine breakdown traceable to worn ribbons which become engaged with the moving type bars and otherwise interfere with the normal movement of said type bars; the progressive decrease of ink content of the ribbon during its useful life, requiring overinked ribbons, which in turn results in smudgy copy at the beginning, followed by progressively lighter and therefore, non-uniform copy.

While various attempts have been made to supersede the conventional inking ribbon by means designed to overcome the disadvantages of the ribbon; particularly for use with typewriting machines which are in constant use and are seldom at rest, as in the case of teletypewriters and the like, such attempts have only been partially successful and have not led to any substantial displacement of the conventional inking ribbon.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved means for inking the type faces of a typewriting machine; such means eliminating the need for ribbon transport mechanism; having a minimum number of parts, which parts function in a relatively simple manner; which may be readily attached to standard typewriting machines suchas teletypewriters without altering the construction thereof; which isreasonable as to both initial and operating costs; and which avoids inconvienient and messy servicing operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inking device of the character described, which is operative to ink the type face of each type bar as the same is actuated toward its typing position, thus insuring the application of'a uniform amount of ink to the type faces as the type bars are actuated, thus producing practically uniform copy of-even appearance at all times.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, wherein an inking pad is positioned for contact by the type face of an actuated typebar as it approaches its typing position, the pad being movable out of the path of the type face instantaneously after contact of the type face therewith to transfer ink to the type face, the movement of the pad being accelerated to substantially reduce the impacting force of the type face on the pad and thereby materially reduce wear of both the pad surface and the type face.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an inking-device of the character described, wherein essential portions thereof may be removed as a single unit with a minimum effort, for the purpose of replacement, thereby simplifying servicing operations.

atent O Yet another object of this invention is to provide an inking device for typewriting machines, which includes a movable ink carrying and transfer pad; and ink supply means connected to the pad in an improved manner, which permits quick replacement of the ink supply means when necessary.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of an inking attachment embodying the invention, as applied to a typewriting machine such as a teletypewriter;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevational view showing the relative positions of a type bar, its actuating hail, the inking pad and its actuating elements; while said type bar is at rest;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show the relative positions of the several parts shown in Fig. 2, as the type bar is actuated to its typing position and then moved toward its rest position;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the inking pad and its support.

The inking attachment of the instant invention comprises essentially a small inking pad movably mounted on a typewriting machine and located within the path of movement of the type bars as they move between their rest and typing positions. The pad is adapted tobe contacted by the type face of the actuated type bar, as the .type face is just short of its contact with the paper supported on the machine platen.

The inking pad is spring biased for movement between a rest position and a position clear of the path of the travel of the actuated type bar as its type face is about to contact the paper supported by the platen. Means is provided for locating the spring in successive, alternative positions which (1) move the pad in response to movement of an actuated type bar, to a position wherein contact of the pad face by the type face of the actuated type bar is sufiicient to effect a transfer of ink to the type face and to continue the movement of the pad at an accelerated rate of speed out of the path of the moving type bar as it completes its movement to its typing position, and (2) and returns the pad back to its original rest position in response to the retracted movement of the actuated type bar.

As shown in Fig. 1, the inking attachment of the instant invention, generally indicated at 10, comprises a pair of L-shaped brackets 11, 12 having their horizontal legs 13, 14 attachable to side frame portions 15 of a typewriting machine such as a teletypewriter generally indicated at T, by screws 16. Such machine T conventionally includes an operating bail 17 having reciprocable horizontal movement as the type bars are actuated, all in a manner well known in the art.

Bail 17 is provided with a short extension '18 carrying a roller 19 which projects beyond bracket '12, being located slightly above bracket leg 14. Brackets ill, 12 are provided with inwardly turned, horizontal ledge portions 20, 21 at their upper ends for detachably mounting thereon a horizontal supporting plate 22, by screws 23.

Plate 22 is formed with a pair of upstanding, longitudinally spaced ears 24, 25, at one end thereof and adjacent bracket 12, for oscillatably mounting an intermediate portion 26 of a lever 27. Lever 27 includes at its outer end a crank portion 28 which is received in a clevis portion 29 of a lever 30 pivoted at 31 on bracket 12. The lower arm 30a of lever 30 has a forwardly disposed abutment edge 32 which is engaged by roller 19 for oscillating lever 30 in response to movement of bail =17 and action of a spring 33 which is attached at one end to said lever arm 30a, and at the other end to an anchor pin on bracket 3 12. A stop 34 on bracket 12 limits the travel of lever arm 30a, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

The central portion of plate 22 is formed with a pair of parallel ears 35, 35a struck out of said plate and providing a space 36 opening on the rear plate edge. Ink carrying and transfer means indicated at 37, is pivotally mounted on ears 35, 35a. Means 37 comprises a plate 38 having a pair of laterally spaced, upstanding cars 39, 40 inclined forwardly from the upper plate edge. As shown in Fig. 8, car 40 has an outwardly projecting short pintle 41 rotatably received in an open end bearing groove 42 formed in ear 35. Ear 39 has an outwardly projecting long pintle 43 similarly received in a bearing groove 44 in car 350; the grooves 42, 44 being inclined upwardly and rearwardly.

An ink supply is provided in the form of a plastic tubular container 45 having an axial pin 46 extending from the outer end thereof for reception in a bearing groove 47 formed in an car 48 struck up from the outer end of plate 22. Container 45 is provided at its other end with a flexible tubular outlet 49 which is detachably connected to pintle 43.

Pintle 43 is formed with a passageway 50 which communicates with an L-shaped passageway 51 formed in car 39 and plate 38. A short extension 52 of passageway 51 extends to a lower portion of plate 38. Openings 53, 53a in the front face of plate 38 communicate with passageways 51, 52. A felt pad 54 is adhered to the front face of plate 33 for receiving ink from container 45 by way of said passageways and openings.

Plate 38 is formed on its front face with a horizontal rib 55 which divides pad 54 into upper and lower portions, and projects slightly beyond the pad surfaces and provides a bumper element described in detail in a later portion of the specification.

It is understood that plate 38 and its pad 54 are located adjacent platen P of the typewriting machine T and are in the path of movement of the type bars B carrying the usual upper and lower type faces F, F'. Thus, upon actuating any type bar B to move from its rest position toward its typing position, the type face thereof will contact pad 54 to receive ink therefrom, and to push the same out of its path of continued movement.

Means is provided for accelerating the movement of pad 54 as it is contacted by the type face of an actuated type bar. To this end, a spiral spring 56 is secured at one end to a projection 57 upstanding from the upper edge of plate 38, and at the other end to a crank portion 58 on the inner end of lever 27 and in offset relation to crank portion 28.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 crank portion 58 is in a forward, substantially horizontal position, causing spring 56 to bias plate 38 forwardly to a position limited by a stop 59 on plate 22, said stop extending rearwardly into space '36 for abutment by plate car 39. At this time, bail 17 is in its fully retracted position.

With machine T in operation, bail 17 starts its forward movement, releasing lever 30 for clockwise movement under the action of spring 33. However, such movement is limited by stop 34, as indicated in Fig. 3; the bail 17 already having traveled the distance x. The movement of lever 30 has raised the outer end of spring 56 through the corresponding movement of crank 58 through the angle indicated at y, thereby bringing spring 56 into alignment wtih the fulcrum axis of plate cars 39, 40 and thus conditioning plate 33 for movement about said fulcrum axis.

Meanwhile, with continued forward movement of bail 17, the selected actuated type bar B has started its movement toward its typing position and makes contact with pad 54 on plate 38, as indicated in Fig. 4. Such contact is sufficient to transfer ink from the pad to the type faces F, F and to push the plate 38 slightly in a rearward direction, sufficient to shift spring 56 to a position slightly past the fulcrum axis of plate ears 39, 4t) and thereby accelerating the rearward movement of plate 38 out of the path of the type bar B, as indicated in Fig. 5; the type bar completing its movement as shown in Fig. 6.

A stop 60 on plate 22 overhanging space 36 limits the movement of plate 38. As type bar B moves back to its rest position, bail 17 moves rearwardly, causing roller 19 to bias lever 30 in a counterclockwise direction, to turn lever 27 so as to reposition spring 56 on the forward side of the fulcrum axis of pintles 41, 43. This will snap plate 38 back to its rest position, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The bumper rib 55 is received in the land 61 between type faces F, F on type bars B, as the type bars move toward their typing positions, and is effective to insure proper contact as between the type faces and the face portions of ink pad 54-.

It will be apparent that with the arrangement of elements shown, pad 54 has only momentary contact with the type faces, sufiicient to transfer ink thereto, but insufficient to offer any substantial resistance to the normal continued movement of the actuated type bar in flight between its rest and typing positions. Thus, each actuated type bar has its type face freshly linked immediately before contact with the paper on platen P, insuring uniform copy at all times, yet avoiding excessive wear of the pad face or undue abrasion of the type faces.

While the inking attachment is shown for the purpose of illustration, in association with a teletypewriter, it is understood that the same may be used with other forms of typewriting machines; suitable connection being made between the pad actuating lever means and elements of the typewriter which have movement coordinated with the actuation of the type bars, thereby coordinating the movement of the type bars with the inking means, in the manner described above.

It will also be apparent that the ink supply container 45 may be of a size such as to hold a substantial quantity of ink for feed to pad 54. In the event that it may be desired to use an ink of different color, from that previously used; the container 45 and transfer means 37 may be quickly removed as a unit by way of open end grooves 42, 44 and 47, after disconnecting spring 56 from plate projection 57. Thus, changes in the color of inks used in machine T may be readily and quickly effected. Replacement of transfer means 37, for any reason, may be accomplished in a similar manner.

Furthermore, the entire inking attachment 10 may be replaced, merely by removal of screws 23 to allow plate 22 to be disconnected from brackets 11, 12.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the invention herein shown, without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed our invention, we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. In a typewriting machine having type bars with type faces thereon movable between rest and typing positions, improved means for inking the type face of actuated type bars comprising ink transfer means movably mounted in the path of movement of the actuated type bar for contact with the type face thereof, and movable means movable independently of the movement of said ink transfer means to a predetermined position in response to the actuation of a selected type bar, said movable means upon reaching said predetermined position being operative to accelerate the movement of said ink transfer means initiated by contact of the type face of the actuated type bar therewith and thereby rapidly move said ink transfer means out of the path of said type face.

2. In a typewriting machine having movable type bars and a movable element having movement coordinated with the movement of an actuated type bar betweenthe rest and typing position thereof, means for inking the type face of the actuated type bar as it approachesits typing position, said inking means comprising an pad pivotally mounted in the path of movement of the actuated type bar for contact by the type face thereof, movable means for biasing said pad for movement in a direction out of the path of movement of said actuated type bar, and means operatively connecting said biasing means and said movable element for moving said biasing means to a position operative to move said pad in said direction in response to contact of said pad by said type face.

3. A typewriting machine as in claim 2, wherein said biasing means is a spring movable to positions on either side of the fulcrum axis of said inking pad.

4. An inking attachment for a typewriting machine comprising support means attachable to said machine, an inking pad pivotally mounted on said support means and located for pivoted movement in the path of the type bars of the machine, spring means connected to said pad and movable to positions on either side of the fulcrum axis of said pad for biasing said pad for movement to positions on either side of said fulcrum axis and means movably mounted on said support means for moving said spring means to said positions thereof in response to movement of an actuated type bar of said machine.

5. An attachment as in claim 4 and further including an ink supply means connected to said pad.

6. An attachment as in claim 4 and further including a support for said pad, said support being formed with a passageway communicating with said pad, ink supply means and conduit means connecting said ink supply means with said passageway.

7. An attachment as in claim 6 wherein said ink supply means is arranged for conjoint movement with said pad.

8. An inking attachment for a typewriting machine comprising a support plate, lever means oscillatably mounted on said plate for movement about a horizontal axis, ink transfer means pivotally mounted on said plate for movement about a horizontal fulcrum axis, crank means on one end of said lever means, and spring means connecting said crank means and said transfer means, said spring means being movable to positions for biasing said transfer means to positions on either side of said fulcrum axis in response to oscillatory movement of said lever means.

9. An inking attachment for a typewriting machine comprising bracket means attachable to said machine, a supporting plate detachably mounted on said bracket means, ink transfer means, means on said plate for mounting said transfer means for pivotal movement about a horizontal fulcrum axis, crank means on said plate arranged for oscillating movement about a horizontal axis, said crank means being in opposed relation to said transfer means, spring means connecting said crank means and said transfer means, said spring means being movable to positions on either side of said fulcrum axis in response to oscillating movement of said crank means, and pivoted lever means on said bracket means engageable at one end thereof with said crank means for oscillating said crank means.

10. An attachment as in claim 9 and further including ink supply means connected to said transfer means.

11. An attachment as in claim 10 and further including means on said plate for mounting said ink supply means for movement with said transfer means.

12. An inking attachment for a typewriting machine having movable type bars, comprising support means, ink transfer means pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoted movement about a horizontal axis, spring means for biasing and accelerating the movement of said ink transfer means to positions on either side of said pivotal axis, means for moving said spring means independently of the movement of said ink transfer means, and means for limiting the movement of said moving means whereby said spring means may be moved from a position on one side of said pivotal axis to a position coincident with said pivotal axis, thereby conditioning said ink transfer means for accelerated movement to a position on the other side of said pivotal axis upon slight contact of said ink transfer means by a type face of an actuated type bar.

13. An inking attachment as in claim 12 wherein said spring moving means comprises a crank arranged for actuation by a moving element of said machine.

14. An inking attachment for type writing machines having movable type bars, comprising support means, ink transfer means mounted on said support means for movement into the path of the type face on an actuated type bar, means for moving said ink transfer means to a position wherein said type face contacts said ink transfer means to transfer ink to said type face, and means movable independently of the movement of the ink transfer means for controlling the movement of said ink transfer moving means for accelerating the movement of said ink transfer means to another position out of the path of the continued movement of said actuated type bar in response to contact of said ink transfer means by said type face.

15. An inking attachment for typewriting machines comprising in combination, support means, ink transfer means, means for movably mounting said ink transfer means on said support means, means operative to move said ink transfer means to a predetermined position, and movable means having movement independent of that of said ink transfer means and operative for causing said ink transfer moving means to move said ink transfer means with accelerated speed to at least one side of said predetermined position.

16. An inking attachment for typewriting machines comprising support means, ink transfer means, means for movably and removably mounting said ink transfer means on said support means, ink reservoir means, means for removably mounting said ink reservoir means on said support means, and means detachably connecting said ink reservoir means to said ink transfer means, said ink transfer means and said ink reservoir means being arranged for removal as a unit from said support means.

17. An inking attachment for a typewriting machine having movable type bars, comprising ink transfer means mounted for pivoted movement about a horizontal axis between a first position thereof in the path of an actuated type bar and a second position thereof out of the path of the actuated type bar, movable means operatively connected to said ink transfer means and arranged for movement independently of the ink transfer means to a first and second position thereof, and means responsive to the movement of an actuated type bar for moving said movable means, said movable means being operative upon reaching the second position thereof to accelerate the movement of said ink transfer means to its second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 702,740 Nilson June 17, 1902 FOREIGN PATENTS 899,505 Germany Dec. 14, 1953 

